Estonia

On the ground work for direct-delivery concept for building market.

What have you done in Estonia?

We did one project here, for a large timber merchant. Tudor Project rehab to get to grips with the building merchant market as well as the DIY market. And analysed how the Estonians behave, now the earlier brand-multitude is eroding.

Do you speak the languages?

No. That would be quite a challenge, and it’s such a small country that a chance that we would do many projects here is rather small. We could get by in English in many places. And we used interpreters as well.

How far along the trend of retail-development is Estonia?

Surprisingly far. Because of the late start, due to their USSR past, the Estonians leapfrogged over a number of steps that we had to slog through. They are really far along the road of e-commerce and the Swedes and Fins regard the Baltic states as their home turf. That’s why you will find a retail infrastructure on order and Scandinavian basis.

What’s the special challenge for international retailers in Estonia?

It’s very small. With a very small market. And the Scandinavians can take it as one of their provinces.